Arctic Adventure June 2023

by John Belchamber

Departure in June 2023

Region: The Arctic

Destinations: Svalbard

Ship: m/v Plancius

Highlights: Kayaking, Arctic Fox, Beluga Whale, Arctic Tern, Barnacle Goose, Blue Whale, Kittiwake, Minke Whale, Polar Bear, Atlantic puffin, Walrus, Bearded Seal, Little Auk, Rock Ptarmigan, Thick-billed Murre, Svalbard reindeer, Snow Bunting, Glaucous Gull, Black Guillemot, Long-tailed Jaeger, Cormorant, Fulmar, Ivory Gull, Pink-footed Goose, Ringed Seal, Parasitic Jaeger

We joined the m/v Plancius for a week's voyage around the Svalbard fjords on Thursday 23 June 2023. From the point at which we were met by Sasha at Longyearbyen airport to final zodiak ride back to the harbour at Longyearbyen we were looked after incredibly well. All the staff were very friendly, courteous and helpful. Philip, the person with lead responsibility, working in close partnership with the captain and guides, put our safety and well-being first. This meant that some adjustments had to be made to the planned itinerary to take account of weather conditions, in particular, fog on our first full day and also the extent of the pack ice as we journeyed further north. Each evening Philip gave a recap on the day and then 2 or 3 of the guides would give a short presentation on a topic. These were both informative and enjoyable to listen to. The food was excellent, with plenty of choice and lots of fresh fruit, salad and vegetables. The menu was changed every day. The cabins were comfortable and cleaned daily. We returned home with lots of wonderful memories of our experiences, the people, wildlife and magical Arctic scenery.

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